Group to open marijuana center in Woodbridge warehouse on Route 1

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerWoodbridge is slated to be one of the first locations with a medical marijuana center in New Jersey. The $2.75 million sale of a vacant warehouse to Compassionate Care Centers of America Foundation was finalized last week.

WOODBRIDGE — One of the state’s new medical marijuana centers is coming to Woodbridge, taking over a vacant warehouse along Route 1 that once housed an electronics store.

Officials at Compassionate Care Centers of America Foundation told The Star-Ledger they plan to transform the 16,000-square-foot building into a growing facility and dispensary that will be easily accessible for sick patients in central New Jersey.

The $2.75 million sale of the former Sixth Avenue Electronics store was finalized last week and has been in the works for more than year.

“We’re thrilled,” said Yale Galanter, the Miami attorney representing the foundation. “We’re committed to bringing jobs to Woodbridge. We’re committed to being good neighbors in Woodbridge. We’re committed to the revitalization of the economy of Woodbridge.”

The Woodbridge-based foundation becomes the third of six planned medical marijuana centers to find a location. The announcement comes amid recent signs of progress for the long-stalled program, which was signed into law in 2010 by then-Gov. Jon Corzine.

Two weeks ago, the Department of Health and Senior Services launched a patient registry that allows doctors to sign up patients with qualifying conditions, including multiple sclerosis, terminal cancer and Crohn’s disease, among others.

Since then, 51 patients have registered and 39 more are in the process of registering, said Dawn Thomas, a spokeswoman for the health department.

Greenleaf Compassion Center of Montclair plans to open shortly after Labor Day, while the Compassionate Care Foundation of Egg Harbor is aiming for a December opening.
Over the past year, the search for locations has become a tumultuous process for dispensary officials. The six selected centers, announced in March 2011, were required to submit information about their locations to the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

Since then, many of those plans have fallen through for a variety of reasons. Some sites simply didn’t work out. In other cases, town officials and residents balked at the idea of a pot center in their communities.

In Upper Freehold, for instance, community members waged a high-profile battle in December against one group, Breakwater Alternative Treatment Center. That group is still searching for a site.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac said he’s been aware of the Compassionate Care group’s plans for just over a year. He spoke highly of the foundation, saying center officials have promised they’ll first look to township residents to fill the nearly 50 available jobs. Galanter, the attorney, said the group plans to use off-duty Woodbridge police officers to provide security.

“The fact is, it’s legal,” said McCormac, referencing the state law. “As long as it’s legal, Woodbridge residents might as well get the benefit of it. If our residents need the products, it will be close by. It will be great. Unlike many towns, we’re welcoming them to Woodbridge.”

Galanter said the facility could be open in four months.

“We’re going to be ready to go,” he said, adding the foundation will spend nearly $1 million to renovate the former electronics store.

The state, however, has yet to issue the group its permits, pending completion of “administrative and regulatory compliance,” Thomas said.

Galanter said the foundation has reworked its leadership group and advisory boards.
Last fall, The Star-Ledger reported that a medical advisory board member at Compassionate Care Centers of America Foundation had questionable ties to Solomon Dwek, the federal informant involved in a massive 2009 corruption sting.

The foundation removed the board member, Kenneth Cayre, before the story was published.

“To me, this is a no-tolerance field,” said Galanter, who added the new board members have impressive law enforcement and health credentials.

“We’re not going to tolerate anything that’s not totally the way it’s supposed to be.”